Azure

OpenStack

VMware

Advanced Install

Cluster Administration

Upgrade/Software Updates

User Management

Troubleshooting

User Guides

Tectonic End-User Guide

End-users of Tectonic are expected to deploy applications directly in Kubernetes.
For first-time users of Kubernetes, familiarize yourself with the building blocks of Kubernetes by reading through the official Kubernetes User Guide.

Your application's architecture will drive how you assemble these components together.

Interacting with Kubernetes

Tectonic supports three different methods of interacting with Kubernetes:

Tectonic Console

kubectl CLI tool

Kubernetes API

See below for more information on how to use each of these.

End-User Access Control

The primary method of access control for Kubernetes is client certificates issued to you by your administrator. These certificates can be used to access the Kubernetes API and configured for use with kubectl.

Tectonic Console

The Tectonic Console gives end-users an easy-to-navigate view of the live event stream and workload of the Tectonic cluster. The Console may not be exposed to the internet. Your administrator may have placed it behind a VPN or other restricted location.

Tectonic Console showing replication controllers

kubectl CLI tool

End-users more familiar with command-line tools will find kubectl a productive method of deploying their Kubernetes-aware applications.
In order to use kubectl, an end-user must be authenticated and populate a valid kubeconfig file. The easiest way to this is with the simple one-time setup process outlined below.

Login to Tectonic Console

Click the "My Account" link on the bottom left of the page.

Click "Download Configuration", and follow the onscreen instructions to re-authenticate.

Once you've downloaded your kubeconfig you are ready to start using the kubectl CLI.
Keep your kubeconfig file in a safe location because it contains your access credentials

Once kubectl is properly configured, it can be used to explore Kubernetes entities:

Kubernetes API

An end-user may integrate external tools and applications with Kubernetes directly via a swagger-based API.
After being issued certificates to the Kubernetes API by an administrator, an end-user should be able to make direct API requests.